Sparks on the Wind
by VolcanicPizza
Summary: StarClan has begun to die. Leaders no longer have their nine lives, and medicine cats lose contact with their warrior ancestors. In the middle of the chaos, Scorchfire, a rogue, finds himself enlisted with cats from all Clans to find out what is wrong on a journey to the old Clan territories. StarClan's dying prophecy alone will guide them. (Dead fic)
1. Allegiances

**A/N: This is basically the allegiances. Nothing to see here.**

ThunderClan

 **Leader** : **Bramblestar** —dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Deputy** : **Squirrelflight** —dark ginger she-cat with green eyes and one white paw

 **Medicine Cat(s)** :

 **Leafpool** —light brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes, white paws and chest  
 **Jayfeather** —gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

 **Warriors** :

 **Brackenfur** —golden-brown tabby tom

 **Cloudtail** —long-haired white tom with blue eyes

 **Brightheart** —white she-cat with ginger patches

 **Thornclaw** —golden-brown tabby tom

 **Whitewing** —white she-cat with green eyes

 **Birchfall** —light brown tabby tom

 **Berrynose** —cream-colored tom with a stump for a tail

 **Mousewhisker** —gray-and-white tom

 **Poppyfrost** —pale tortoiseshell and white she-cat

 **Cinderheart** —gray tabby she-cat

 **Lionblaze** —golden tabby tom with amber eyes

 **Rosepetal** —dark cream she-cat

 **Briarlight** —dark brown she-cat, paralyzed in her hindquarters

 **Blossomfall** —tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat with petal-shaped white patches

 **Bumblestripe** —very pale gray tom with black stripes

 **Ivypool** —silver–and-white tabby she-cat with dark blue eyes

 **Dovewing** —pale gray she-cat with green eyes

 **Cherryfall** —ginger she-cat  
 **Apprentice, Sparkpaw** (orange tabby she-cat)

 **Molewhisker** —brown-and-cream tom  
 **Apprentice, Alderpaw** (dark ginger tom with amber eyes)

 **Snowbush** —white, fluffy tom

 **Ambermoon** —pale ginger she-cat

 **Dewnose** —gray-and-white tom

 **Stormcloud** —(formerly Frankie); gray tabby tom

 **Hollytuft** —black she-cat

 **Fernsong** —yellow tabby tom

 **Sorrelstripe** —dark brown she-cat

 **Queens** :

 **Daisy** —cream long-furred cat from the horseplace

 **Lilyheart** —tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat (mother to Leafkit, a tortoiseshell she-kit, Larkkit, a black tom-kit, and Honeykit, a white she-kit with yellow splotches)

 **Elders** :

 **Purdy** —plump tabby with a gray muzzle, former loner

 **Graystripe** —long-haired gray tom

 **Sandstorm** —pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

 **Millie** —striped silver tabby she-cat with blue eyes

ShadowClan

 **Leader** : **Rowanstar** —ginger tom

 **Deputy** : **Crowfrost** —black-and-white tom

 **Medicine Cat(s)** : **Littlecloud** —very small tabby tom

 **Warriors** :

 **Tawnypelt** —tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes  
 **Apprentice, Needlepaw**

 **Tigerheart** —dark brown tabby tom  
 **Apprentice, Sleekpaw**

 **Stonewing** —white tom  
 **Apprentice, Juniperpaw**

 **Spikefur** —dark brown tom with tufty fur on his head  
 **Apprentice, Yarrowpaw**

 **Wasptail** —yellow tabby she-cat with green eyes  
 **Apprentice, Strikepaw**

 **Dawnpelt** —cream-furred she-cat  
 **Apprentice, Beepaw**

 **Snowbird** —sleek, lithe, well-muscled, pure white she-cat with green eyes

 **Scorchfur** —dark gray tom with slashed ears, one of which is torn

 **Berryheart** —black-and-white she-cat

 **Cloverfoot** —gray tabby she-cat

 **Rippletail** —white tom

 **Sparrowtail** — large tabby tom

 **Mistcloud** —spiky-furred, pale gray she-cat

 **Queens** :

 **Grassheart** —pale brown tabby she-cat

 **Pinenose** —black she-cat (mother to Birchkit, a beige tom-kit, Lionkit, a yellow she-kit with amber eyes, Puddlekit, a brown tom with white splotches, and Slatekit, a sleek, gray tom-kit)

 **Elders** :

 **Oakfur** —small brown tom

 **Kinkfur** —tabby she-cat, with long fur that sticks out at all angles

 **Ratscar** —brown tom with long scar across his back

WindClan

 **Leader** : **Onestar** —brown tabby tom

 **Deputy** : **Harespring** —brown-and-white tom

 **Medicine Cat(s)** : **Kestrelflight** —mottled gray tom with white splotches like kestrel feathers

 **Warriors** :

 **Nightcloud** —black she-cat

 **Gorsetail** —very pale gray-and-white she-cat with blue eyes

 **Crowfeather** —dark gray tom  
 **Apprentice, Fernpaw** (dark brown she-cat)

 **Leaftail** —dark tabby tom, amber eyes

 **Emberfoot** —gray tom with two dark paws

 **Breezepelt** —black tom with amber eyes

 **Furzepelt** —gray-and-white she-cat

 **Larkwing** —pale brown tabby she-cat

 **Sedgewhisker** —light brown tabby she-cat

 **Slightfoot** —black tom with white flash on his chest

 **Oatclaw** —pale brown tabby tom

 **Featherpelt** —gray tabby she-cat

 **Hootwhisker** —dark gray tom

 **Queens** : **Heathertail** —light brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Smokekit, a gray she-kit, and Brindlekit, a mottled brown she-kit)

 **Elders** :

 **Whitetail** —small white she-cat

RiverClan

 **Leader** : **Mistystar** —gray she-cat with blue eyes

 **Deputy** : **Reedwhisker** —black tom

 **Medicine Cat(s)** : **Mothwing** —dappled golden she-cat  
 **Willowshine** —gray tabby she-cat

 **Warriors** :

 **Mintfur** —light gray tabby tom

 **Duskfur** —brown tabby she-cat

 **Apprentice, Shadepaw** (dark brown she-cat)

 **Minnowtail** —dark gray she-cat

 **Mallownose** —light brown tabby tom

 **Petalfur** —gray-and-white she-cat

 **Beetlewhisker** —brown-and-white tabby tom

 **Curlfeather** —pale brown she-cat

 **Podlight** —gray and white tom

 **Heronwing** —dark gray-and-black tom

 **Shimmerpelt** —silver she-cat

 **Lizardtail** —light brown tom  
 **Apprentice, Foxpaw** (russet tabby tom)

 **Havenpelt** —black-and-white she-cat

 **Perchwing** —gray-and-white she-cat

 **Sneezecloud** —gray-and-white tom

 **Brackenpelt** —tortoiseshell she-cat

 **Jayclaw** —gray tom

 **Owlnose** —brown tabby tom

 **Queens** :

 **Lakeheart** —gray tabby she-cat

 **Icewing** —white she-cat with blue eyes (mother to Nightkit and Breezekit)

 **Elders** :

 **Mosspelt** —tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

 **CATS OUTSIDE THE CLANS**

 **Scorchfire** \- very dark gray, almost black, tabby tom with green eyes.

 **Cataclysm** \- light brown she-cat


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: I'd like to head off whatever round of flaming I may encounter with this:** ** _This is purposely an AU._** **I have not read "The Apprentice's Quest" yet, and thought it would be fun to write my own version of what I thought would happen before Vision of Shadows was announced. So, no whining that this isn't canon and so on. I'm trying to write a good story here.**

Leaves rustled against the dark gray tom's pelt as he slithered through the shadows. He narrowed his eyes against the beating rain as he neared the Gathering Island.

 _Soon,_ he thought. _Soon something is going to happen, and it's because of me._

A shudder ran up the tom's spine as he squinted through the storm. They were here.

Several black forms slid silently through the lake and surrounded the island. The Clans were trapped and they didn't even know it.

 _This is all my fault,_ thought the tom silently as he realized what was about to happen and remembered what he'd heard. _This is all my fault, and I can do nothing to stop it._

* * *

Sparkpaw looked up through the rain as her father ascended up the tree. Onestar was already sitting there, and as she watched Rowanstar and Mistystar climbed up to join him.

Bramblestar called the Gathering to order, but something had Sparkpaw's attention. She whipped her head around just in time to see a tail vanish into the undergrowth.

She poked her brother, Alderpaw. "Did you see that?" she asked.

"Shh." Alderpaw hushed her, looking terrified at the prospect of talking during a Gathering. "We've been apprentices barely two moons. Don't spoil this. I don't want to get yowled at."

As Onestar finished speaking about a bumper crop of rabbits that had sprung up from the constant rain, there was a sudden hiss. All the cats in the clearing whirled as several cats stalked into the clearing, yowling and snarling.

"What's going on?" whimpered Alderpaw.

Their father's thought process was clearly the same as they whirled to see him glaring down at the rogues. Squirrelflight hissed and arched her back.

Onestar jumped down in front of the rogues. "Just what in StarClan's name do you think you're doing?" he demanded.

The lead cat, a light brown she-cat, raised an eyebrow. "Really, Onestar? Do you think StarClan can save you now?"

Before the WindClan leader could answer, she snapped, "StarClan is dying. They can't help you, old fools."

"Stop right there." snarled Squirrelflight. "Leave the island immediately."

"Really?" The she-cat smiled. "Don't you know it's rude to not call somebody by their name?" Before Squirrelflight could say a thing, the brown she-cat slashed her claws through Squirrelflight's belly. She fell with barely a sound.

"Mother!" whimpered Sparkpaw. Alderpaw was so shocked he couldn't say a word.

"My name is Cataclysm." the she-cat snarled. "That's what's coming upon you, don't you know? StarClan has lost their power! Your leader's 'nine lives' are now one life!"

Turning in barely any time, she sliced open Onestar's throat. He struggled to breathe as he lightly toppled over. "Still have..." he rasped. "Two lives..."

"Oh, really?" Cataclysm laughed mockingly. "Just wait, then."

Moons seemed to pass as Onestar lay there. Kestrelflight, WindClan's medicine cat, finally stood and padded over to Onestar's side. "He's dead." he whispered. "He would have.. come back by now..." With a ferocious yowl, he threw himself at Cataclysm.

Cataclysm sliced three times through the air. Kestrelflight fell to the ground. His last sight was that of his entrails pouring out.

"No!" Bramblestar yowled, looking from the three dead bodies to Cataclysm. He leaped towards her only to be hit midflight by a ball of dark gray fur.

"What are you trying to do, get yourself killed?" snapped the dark gray tom before turning to Cataclysm. "There's enough dead for today, Yarrow. Just leave."

"My name is Cataclysm!" roared the light brown she-cat, launching herself forwards at the tom. Sparkpaw flinched in preparation for the killing blow, but it didn't come. The tom merely ducked under Cataclysm's blow and scrambled to his feet.

"Still using the same old tricks, Scorchfire?" asked Cataclysm. "No matter, I have tricks of my own!" She launched out her back paw as Bramblestar came flying towards her rear and slammed her claws into his face. As Bramblestar staggered, blood trickling from his eyes and nose, Cataclysm turned and jumped into the oak tree. Whirling in a sudden circle, she sliced through Mistystar and Rowanstar. Both fell to the ground, and Sparkpaw knew what to expect this time.

The Gathering dissolved into anarchy. Cats screeched and attempted to fight as Cataclysm's forces cut through them. In the middle of the morass, Cataclysm and Scorchfire traded killing blows, with none of them ever landing.

"We need to get out of here!" yowled Sparkpaw, and many cats seemed to have had that idea already as they dove into the water, regardless of whether they were RiverClan or not. All of them were shortly killed by one of Cataclysm's cats and sank beneath the surface, also regardless of whether they were RiverClan or not.

Suddenly, Scorchfire was in front of them. "Where are the Three?" he snarled.

Alderpaw flinched and yelped.

"Wait a second..." Scorchfire looked them over. "This is the wrong time period." he moaned. "This is all wrong!" And suddenly he was back to normal. "Apprentices, hide just under the water with your nose above the water. Cataclysm's forces won't see you." When neither of them moved, he yowled, "Go!" and dove back into the fray.

Shivering, Sparkpaw waded into the chilled waters. "Come on, Alderpaw." she reassured. "It isn't that bad." As her brother followed her, she glanced back onto the island to see Lionblaze, Jayfeather, and Ivypool emerge from the battle and wade into the water after them.

 _What is going on?_ she wailed helplessly in her thoughts as anarchy spread across the island.

Then Scorchfire was there again, followed by a group of cats Sparkpaw vaguely recognized. Some of them she knew from her Clan, others were from other Clans.

"Out of the water, now." Scorchfire whispered to them. "Follow me, I know a back way."

As Sparkpaw obeyed, falling into step with the others, she wondered again exactly what she'd gotten herself into.

 **A/N: So, ominous beginning and so on. Remember to review, my friends!**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: Wow, three favorites and two follows already? You guys must really like this.**

 **Herp: Well, here you go, unless you died already from suspense.**

 **badguthrie: Well, thank you for your support. I can see I made the right choice deciding to post this (because I wasn't originally going to).**

 **ReadingAnimeLover: Sure, go right ahead.**

 **Nick Cage: Well, thank you.**

 **Shadowman: What, you don't like my other stuff? I'm sad now. (Just kidding. Troll face.)**

Sparkpaw felt Alderpaw's fur pressed against her side and soft moss against her pelt, but didn't dare open her eyes. _All a nightmare. It was all just a horrible nightmare._

And what an awful dream it had been. So much death, and the threat that StarClan was dying...

"Sparkpaw, you must wake."

Sparkpaw cracked an eye open to see the dark gray tom from her dream- Scorchfire, was it?- standing over her. "You..." she mumbled blearily. "You were in my dream..."

Scorchfire regarded her sadly. "It was no dream, Sparkpaw."

And then the weight of everything that had just happened crashed down onto her. "No!" she moaned. "It was all real?"

"Yes." Scorchfire replied bluntly. "Cataclysm killed almost everybody. The only surviving Clan cats are either here in my safe den or huddled in their camps, attempting to concoct some plan. In one attack, in one blow, at least half, if not more, of the cats in the Clans have died."

"How is that possible?" Sparkpaw managed to force out.

"There are greater things in heaven and hell that us mere mortals dare not ponder of." Scorchfire muttered, almost to himself.

"What does that mean?" Sparkpaw asked, sitting upright.

"Nothing." Scorchfire muttered. "Sometimes... things like that just come out."

Alderpaw pulled himself up and opened his eyes. He blinked twice, then asked, "Where are we?"

"Of course he won't remember, we had to carry him in." Scorchfire mumbled. "After the massacre at the gathering island, we traveled down one of my tunnels to this safe room under the lake."

"It was real?" Alderpaw shrieked. "No! No! NO!" His yowls echoed around the tunnel, and cats began to awake.

"Quiet, fool!" hissed Scorchfire, tail lashing furiously. "The roof is unstable; you'll bring it down on us if you screech like that! Not only that, Cataclysm's forces may be prowling above! Do you want them down here?"

Alderpaw slumped down onto his belly, eyes glazed. _He must be in shock,_ Sparkpaw noted, and wondered vaguely why she wasn't.

 _Or maybe I am in shock, and just too shocked to realize it._

* * *

Lionblaze gradually became conscious of the fact that he was lying on his side on moss. _It was all just a terrible nightmare,_ he though drowsily. _Maybe if I just lay here I'll forget it completely._

Then Alderpaw's panicked shrieks echoed up and down the den and he lost any hope of getting back to sleep.

 _Maybe he had the same nightmare as me,_ he thought, pulling himself upright, but when he opened his eyes he realized it had all been true.

As soon as Scorchfire finished berating Alderpaw, he stalked over to Lionblaze. "You're awake," he meowed by way of greeting.

Lionblaze looked over to his side. There was Jayfeather, but the other member of the Three was missing.

"Where's Dovewing?" he asked.

"She's dead." Scorchfire replied. "One of Cataclysm's goons killed her. She knows the prophecy relies on all of the Three to be present if the Clans are to live."

 _What prophecy?_ Lionblaze wanted to ask, but instead settled for curling on the ground and closing his eyes. Dovewing couldn't be dead. She just couldn't.

Suddenly he opened his eyes and leaped to his feet. "What about Cinderheart and our kits?" His voice cracked. "Don't tell me they're dead, too!"

"Cinderheart lives." Scorchfire affirmed. "However, only one of your kits I know for sure lived, the one named Hollytuft. The other two, I do not know. They may be back at the ThunderClan camp. Although unlikely, it could have happened."

Grief eclipsed everything else within Lionblaze as Scorchfire walked down to where another cat was moaning, no doubt to provide the same bleak affirmation to whoever it was and move on.

That was all he could do, after all.

Behind him, Sandstorm padded up, and he wondered vaguely why Scorchfire had saved the elder. "At least Bramblestar still lives." she meowed in a scratchy voice.

"Bramblestar's alive?" asked Lionblaze, hope suddenly rising.

"Cataclysm severely wounded him, but yes, Bramblestar is still alive. In what mental state, I don't know..."

* * *

Bramblestar was blind. He wondered vaguely if his eyes were closed, and tried to open them only to find them caked shut with some sticky substance. He forced them open, only to see complete darkness.

"Am I blind?" he wailed, groping in the darkness.

"Unfortunately, yes." This voice came from his side, and Bramblestar whipped around with a snarl. "Who are you?"

"I'm Scorchfire." meowed the voice. "Don't you remember what happened last night?"

Suddenly all the memories came crashing down on Bramblestar, and he remembered: the attack, and the deaths of so many...

 _Squirrelflight._

"Is Squirrelflight..." Bramblestar couldn't bring himself to ask the rest.

"She's dead, Bramblestar." rasped another voice.

Bramblestar collapsed on the ground as grief rushed over him. Squirrelflight, dead? It didn't seem possible. From the day that she'd been the small, bouncy apprentice, and the bond they'd formed and broken and formed again over the course of the journey... and now she was dead.

"No! It isn't possible!" But even as he yowled those words he remembered the clean _snick_ of Cataclysm's claws as they cut through Squirrelflight's belly and her last exhalation as she fell. _No cat could have survived that._

"No..." He dropped his head to the ground. "What about Sparkpaw and Alderpaw? Are they dead, too?"

"No." Scorchfire's voice grew distant as he called out. "Sparkpaw, Alderpaw, your father is awake."

"Sparkpaw? Alderpaw?" Bramblestar strained to see, wishing he could see what state they were in.

But he could only hear their footsteps as they approached, and feel their pelts as they pressed against his sides.

"Why are you not grieving too, rogue?" snapped Bramblestar, glaring in the direction he thought Scorchfire was in. _Now I understand how it is for Jayfeather._ "Do you not fully realize how many have died?"

"I think it's you who don't realize how many have died, Bramblestar." snapped the rogue, his voice catching. "Don't you think it's hard for me, too, to think about how many have died? I push it aside to keep grief from destroying me as it does all of the rest of you so I can remain useful. I've seen death and more, but I need to move through it quickly to keep the dead from overwhelming me. I just push it aside and move on, because it's the only thing I can do."

 **A/N: So, another dark chapter. I know it's getting depressing, but trust me- the angst won't last foreverl**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: I'm going to be going on hiatus for the entire summer, but I decided that I should update at least one more time and at least let you all know what the general plot will head towards. Least I can do, I guess.**

 **Herp: There's going to be a lot of darkness for most of "Sparks on the Wind." This is actually one of the darkest things I've written yet.**

 **A Silver Nightmare: I don't mind criticism, I enjoy criticism. It helps me figure out what I've done wrong.**

 **BrightheartXCloudtail: Oh, I think you'll particularly enjoy what happens next... (evil chuckles)**

 **Leherpderp: Scorchfire is not Sans, but he is more than just an ordinary rogue. His name should be evidence enough for that.**

 **Rainford: Good.**

There was darkness within, and that was all Cataclysm knew. It was a comforting darkness, one she'd come to embrace since her arrival here.

 _None of this is real, anyway. It can't be. I know what they said when we first came here, but can this be real?_

 _No._

She was lying on moss under the great oak on the island. The bodies had been thrown into the lake, but the stench of blood couldn't be removed.

Blood was a comforting scent. It was one that Cataclysm had come to know more than any other for the twelve moons she'd arrived here.

 _Genocide is the only option. Once these Clans are wiped out, new ones can be created, and a golden age shall come._

 _And I think I'll start by introducing something I learned the first time I was defeated._

Standing, Cataclysm stretched and yawned. Her guards were arrayed around the perimeter of the clearing, some guarding and the rest looking for that entrance Scorchfire had used.

 _I remember when he was once my friend. He knew the most of this strange world of Clans, and I knew so little._

 _But now_ I _rival him. I have gathered a strong force of rogues, and who does he have? Nobody, since I killed his best friend._

Cataclysm's claws dug into the soil as she imagined Scorchfire's face there. He was the reason she'd had to edit her plans so many times... but now, the end was coming.

 _You will die, Scorchfire, and my victory will be absolute. With one of the Three dead and the other two sure to follow... I WILL RULE EVERYTHING._

* * *

Hunched in the corner of what was supposed to be a safe den, the gray tom brooded. It had been so long since he had come down here, or at least that was what it felt like. He knew it had only been a few hours, but it could be moons for all he knew, isolating himself from all other cats.

Scorchfire was accustomed to mental self-inflicted pain by now. There was so much he could have stopped Cataclysm from doing, like the massacre of SkyClan and the devastation of the Twolegplace, but a combination of his laziness and doubt over whether he was in the right place had let Cataclysm succeed each time.

 _Well, no more. I'm going to be decisive each time and ensure victory, and a good start will be carrying out the prophecy._

"I'll be much better from now on." he meowed aloud. "Like Lee, Napoleon, and Washington."

"Who're those?" asked a voice from behind him, and with a start Scorchfire spun around to see Sparkpaw standing there.

"Great StarClan, Sparkpaw, you startled me." Mentally Scorchfire tried to flatten his fur.

"Who're those?" Sparkpaw repeated persistently.

"They were... eh... some cats I knew." Scorchfire cursed himself internally for slipping up like that.

Sparkpaw nodded, not seeming satisfied.

"Here, can you gather the cats in here? I need to talk to them."

"There's practically nobody left." Sparkpaw gestured at the now mostly empty safe room. "It's only me, Alderpaw, Bramblestar, Sandstorm, Stonewing, Wasptail, Larkwing, and Jayclaw."

"Nine." Scorchfire chuckled silently. "A good number for a quest." Straightening himself, he meowed, "Well, can you gather them anyway?"

"Why does it really matter?" the ginger she-cat asked.

"Knowing what comes next, I can't afford not to care anymore." Scorchfire's eyes seemed to blaze with anger to the apprentice. "I've gone through this same process before, you know. Cataclysm kills off most of an organized group of cats, and then everything ends, replaced by anarchy. SkyClan is no more, as are all of the groups across the land. Cataclysm want to eliminate all opposition."

Sparkpaw flinched. "I'll gather them." she mewed softly, and walked towards the group of cats.

Scorchfire slumped back to his paws. _That could've gone better._

He could hear a raised voice from the corner. "And why do we trust this random cat?" a white tom shouted. _Stonewing, I think._

"He saved us, he's probably the only one we CAN trust." This came from a yellow tabby she-cat. _Wasptail._

"Can you just shut up and listen to Sparkpaw?" Scorchfire chuckled; he didn't even need to look to see who had said that.

A gray tom- _Jayclaw_ \- was the first in front of him, followed by a pale brown she-cat- _Larkwing._ Within moments the others had followed and were sitting behind them.

"What do you want?" This was Jayclaw, openly hostile about the whole situation.

"As you know, StarClan is dying, and-"

"Where's the proof?" yowled Larkwing, stomping forwards to glare into Scorchfire's eyes. "That kind of thing isn't possible!"

"Cataclysm has travelled to StarClan through the Moonstone at the former Clan territory and killed the original five leaders of the Clans- Thunderstar, Riverstar, Windstar, Shadowstar, and Skystar." Scorchfire glared back. " _That's_ how she did it."

"Skystar?" Stonewing was clearly puzzled.

"The former fifth Clan. They were driven out about three hundred thousand seasons ago, and then destroyed more recently by Cataclysm."

"Destroyed?" Sandstorm gasped. "Are..."

"The only survivors, as I recall, were two warriors named Rabbitleap and Mintfur and the medicine cat, Echosong. There might have been more, but they were in hiding before I left."

"You left and you didn't even help?" Now it was Sandstorm's turn to glare at the gray rogue. "Or even try?"

Scorchfire sighed. _This is not going as planned...but then again, when has anything ever gone right for me?_ "The point I'm trying to make is that StarClan is dying, and there's only one way to save it."

"And what might that be?" Jayclaw challenged.

"We need to travel to the old forest territories and speak with StarClan through the Moonstone."

The gathering erupted into chaos. "And why can't we go to the Moonpool?" yowled Alderpaw.

"At best, it will be heavily guarded, at worst, destroyed." Scorchfire forced himself to stand still.

The chaos only grew from there. "Why not the Tribe's cave?" demanded Wasptail.

"They've already been destroyed by Cataclysm."

If Scorchfire had though the chaos had reached its peak, clearly he was wrong. The rage only grew.

The noise was broken by a single voice, one of the only cat who had not yet spoken.

"I believe that Scorchfire is our best chance." rasped Bramblestar. "I will stand behind him."

* * *

Cataclysm stalked up what was once WindClan territory and now hers. As they crested the edge of the lake and could see the hill WindClan camp was situated in, Cataclysm pointed to it with her tail and commanded, "Send out fifteen of our stealthiest and tell them to kill everyone."

"Yes, Cataclysm." Her second-in-command, Brand, relayed her order towards the back of the army, and fifteen cats peeled off from the main force and pelted towards the hill.

And there it was, up ahead, the river leading to the Moonpool.

"I hope there's enough loose rocks to fill the entire thing in." snapped Cataclysm. "Because if there isn't you'll all be pitching dirt over the sides of any kind you can find."

The Moonpool swelled as Cataclysm quickened her pace. She wanted to be there by sunrise.


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: I'm SO SORRY that I didn't get back sooner. For about a week I completely forgot that FanFiction even existed, and... Yeah, I should just stop making excuses and get to the story.**

 _"What is this place?"_

 _"I... I don't know. What about you, Scott?"_

 _"I think I might know where we are..."  
_

 _"Well, don't keep us in suspense, bro, where are we?"_

 _"This is the ruins of the old forest, where the Clans used to live. The humans... Twolegs... don't seem to have touched Highstones, but everything else is devastated."_

 _"What's Highstones?"_

 _"That's where the Moonstone was. It was used by the Clans to communicate with StarClan, but I don't know if it still works, or is even there."_

 _"Well, only one way to find out..."_

 _"No, we're not going in there, Yarrow. Not today, at least. I'm hungry, and I think you guys are too. There should be some mice or something like that around here."_

 _"Ew! I'm not eating mice!"_

 _"Fine, starve then, see if we care. Scott and I will try to catch something. And if we're feeling nice, we might even share it with you."_

 _"Okay, fine, I'll try to hunt too. Just don't complain that I scared away all of the food."_

 _"You're going to have to get used to feeding yourself, Yarrow. This isn't like back when... you know... when we didn't have to do anything to get food. It was just there, provided for us."_

 _"And how I wish we'd stayed how we were."_

 _"Well, nothing can be done about it now. I don't even know how to get back into the town... Twolegplace... where we lived."_

 _"Do we really have to use new terms for everything just because we're wild cats?"_

 _"Yes, we do! You don't understand how this is, Yarrow! This isn't the soft, sheltered life of a kittypet! This is a wild place where cats DIE!"_

 _"Okay, sheesh, you don't have to yowl about it, Scott. Just because you know this place better than we do means nothing."_

 _"Before they destroyed the woods, I spent so much time here..."_

 _"But how could you have?"_

 _"There are more ways than physically that one can enter a place..."_

 _"Oh, shut it, Kyle. You're not going to be some wise cat or something just because you think you sound like it._

 _"Oh, and, I almost forgot. We'll need to change our names, or the rogues around here will think we were kittypets, a_ _nd quite frankly, they wouldn't be far off the mark..._ _Yarrow, you can keep your name, it'll fit in fine. Kyle?"_

 _"I dunno... Okay, I'll go with Lightning. What about you, Scott?"_

 _"My name will be Scorchfire."_

* * *

"There is so much hidden." murmured Scorchfire, as the memories left him. _But Lightning is long dead, and Yarrow... is not Yarrow anymore. I had hoped there would be something good in her... but the shock has broken her._

"Scorchfire?" asked Sparkpaw as she steadied her blinded father on his paws. "Where are we going?"

"We're going to see an old friend of mine. His name is Napoleon."

* * *

 _"Howdy! You guys must be new to this area, cause I've never seen you around before. I'm Napoleon!"_

 _"Greetings, Napoleon. I am Scorchfire, and these are my friends Yarrow and Lightning."_

 _"Wow, you guys are skinny. No luck hunting, then?"_

 _"Afraid not. Yarrow's too clumsy."_

 _"Hey!"_

 _"Well, I got some food if you want any..."_

 _"Sorry, Napoleon, but we can't accept your offer-"_

 _"Oh, come on, Scorchfire, don't let pride rule you just because of what you think is right."_

 _"Very well. Napoleon, where is this food?"_

 _"You won't be sorry. Follow me."_

* * *

"Napoleon?" asked Alderpaw. "Is he a kittypet?"

"Sort of. We've been helping each other out for a long time, and he owes me a favor."

"What'll that favor be?" asked Wasptail. She was still wary about this 'idealistic crusade' of Scorchfire's, but Bramblestar's backing of Scorchfire's plan had forced her, like the other cats, to agree with it.

"He knows all the cats in the Twolegplace and surrounding areas, and he'll be able to get us some cats to get us through the greater Twolegplace. We can't go through the mountains, they're anarchy, and we can't go around the other side of the Twolegplace, since it's under occupation by Cataclysm's forces. She hasn't been able to penetrate into the actual Twolegplace yet, so I think it'll be worth it." Scorchfire squinted past the trees. "Here we are." He quickened his stride. "Hurry. I managed to find us a route through land that Cataclysm hasn't occupied yet, but it's only a matter of time."

* * *

 _"Hey, Napoleon, who're these guys?"_

 _"Quiet, La Salle. These are Scorchfire, Yarrow, and Lightning. Guys, this is my brother La Salle."_

 _"Where'd they come from? They smell weird, like Twolegs or something."_

 _"We're from the Twolegplace, but we... decided that the life there wasn't for us, so we've been constantly moving since then."_

 _"You could consider settling down here, and-"_

 _"Quiet, La Salle! These cats need something to eat before they fall over. Get some of that weird meat we got out of the stinky Twoleg nest."_

 _"How can we ever thank you for this?"_

 _"By surviving, I guess. Slash the status quo across the face a few times, just because."_

* * *

"Here we are!" Scorchfire trotted up to the foot of a dirty yellow fence, raised his head, and yowled.

A scrawny, mottled gray tom popped his head through the slats. "Scorchfire! What're you doing here?"

"I need to speak to Napoleon." Scorchfire meowed calmly. "Where is he?"

"S-s-sorry, he can't talk right now." The little tom was growing more agitated. "He's, uh, busy! Yeah, he's really busy! He can't talk now!"

"La Salle, what are you hiding from us?" growled Scorchfire. "Napoleon would never be too busy to see an old friend like me."

La Salle looked terrified. "Fine! Fine! Fine!" He raised his head and let out three short, quick, yowls.

"That's not the call you normally use to tell Napoleon somebody's waiting." Scorchfire snapped. "Why the change?"

"No reason! No reason!" whimpered the mottled tom.

In the distance, many pawsteps could be heard.

"I-I-I'm sorry, Scorchfire!" La Salle backed off under the slats of the fence. "They said they'd kill my brother if I didn't... if I didn't..."

"Betray us." hissed Scorchfire. He whirled and yowled, "We need to get out of here, now!"

"Too late for that." came a voice from behind, and Cataclysm stalked coldly forward. "Hello again, Scorchfire. La Salle," she added, "you have fulfilled your end of the bargain. Here is your brother."

Two of Cataclysm's cats came forwards carrying something between them. They dumped it in front of the fence, where it fell.

It was the body of a reddish-brown tom, brown eyes wide open and mouth open in an unfinished yowl of anguish. A neat slice cut across his throat, and a second one came down from there to his stomach.

"Napoleon!" whispered Scorchfire.

"Did you really think you could evade me forever?" Cataclysm laughed. "You really ARE an idiot."

The cats backed closer together as Cataclysm's forces emerged around them.

"Fox dung." hissed Scorchfire.

"Attack!" yowled Cataclysm.

Her cats attacked.


	6. End

**A/N: I'm sorry to all who enjoyed this story, but it is being discontinued. Although I initially liked the storyline I had planned, I quickly grew bored of it. In addition to this, the stuff I was planning to have as being mysteries held throughout the entire story to be shockingly revealed later in hindsight were too blatantly implied and all but outright stated. I don't know what you thought, but to me, "Sparks on the Wind" is too corrupt and riddled with errors to be worth saving.**

 **However, it's unfair to all of you who wanted to know how this ended. So, as a reward for coming back to see what I had posted despite it being so long since my last update, I'll put down here what I had in mind for the rest of the plot.**

After the climactic fight scene last chapter ended with, Cataclysm is understandably angry. In a chilling scene, she thanks La Salle for his services before telling him that he is not needed anymore and strikes him with a blow so savage his head is nearly ripped from his body.

Meanwhile, Scorchfire establishes that the only safe route is through the Twolegplace, and they spend several meaningless filler chapters wandering around in it. As they are nearing the exit and moving towards the ruins of the old forest, they are attacked by Cataclysm's troops, who circled around the Twolegplace in anticipation of them attempting to exit. Wasptail is killed and Alderpaw severely injured.

Driven far off course by the attack and in a severely demoralized state, Scorchfire leads the cats to the ruins of SkyClan's camp, where they spend a weary, dreamless night. The next morning, they are awoken by several cats demanding they surrender to them. In SkyClan's fall a new neo-SkyClan arose from its ashes, headed by Mintfur, who rose to fill the vacuum left by Leafstar's death. She has not been granted her name, as the Whispering Cave was destroyed before Cataclysm left the area. More cats than Scorchfire thought had survived, and asides from Mintfur, Rabbitleap, and Echosong; Waspwhisker (who is Mintfur's deputy), Nettlesplash, Firefern, Mistfeather, and Parsleypaw also survived. Three new cats were also recruited into their ranks; Lightningclaw, Ripplestream, and Kestrelpaw, all former rogues who exhibited the readiness to adapt that was needed and actively sought out the ruins of the Clan in order to join it.

After speaking extensively with Mintfur, she agrees to travel with the cats, along with Firefern and Ripplestream, appointing Waspwhisker to temporarily lead in her absence. Sparkpaw notes that, although she isn't quite sure what Scorchfire said to Mintfur, when she exited her den to speak to the Clan her eyes were wide and shocked. Since Alderpaw is still injured, he is left at the temporary SkyClan camp. It is attempted to leave Sandstorm and Bramblestar behind, and although the latter agrees to this because of his new blindness Sandstorm does not and refuses to be left behind.

Meanwhile, Cataclysm has settled into occupation of the Clans quite well. All of the leaders, deputies, and medicine cats have been executed, except for Jayfeather, who her troops have never been able to find. The Moonpool has been completely filled in, "its eternal waters silenced forever." The scene then cuts to Jayfeather, who is standing atop a crest outside of former WindClan privately lamenting the fates of the Clans. Lionblaze, who has been aiding him to hide along with Hollytuft, fears that they should have gone with Scorchfire, but Jayfeather insists loudly that he was right to stay. Unfortunately, the volume of his voice is audible by the occupying forces, and the three are dragged before Cataclysm. Lionblaze is executed, but Hollytuft and Jayfeather manage to escape.

Scorchfire privately confides in Sparkpaw, who has come to feel like a younger sister to him, that he fears that the prophecy cannot be fulfilled since Lionblaze and Jayfeather did not agree to come on the quest. He hopes, however, that StarClan will find a way, despite their greatly reduced power.

The cats reach the Moonstone without much effort, however, Sandstorm is noted to be having to make a visible effort to keep breathing. Sparkpaw asks her grandmother if it would be better for her to lay down and rest, but Sandstorm refuses, wanting to see the Moonstone "for the last time," and confirms angrily that she is close to death when nobody objects to her wording.

Scorchfire, Sandstorm, and Sparkpaw enter Mothermouth and lay down by the Moonstone. Sandstorm is happily reunited with Firestar, while the spirit of Bluestar tells Scorchfire and Sparkpaw that they must find replacements for the original five if StarClan's powers are to be restored. Before she can specify, the cats awake. Sandstorm continues to lay beside the Moonstone, and after a few minutes, when Sparkpaw nudges her with her nose, she discovers that it has gone cold.

Sandstorm is buried outside Mothermouth and the cats share what they have learned. Stonewing volunteers to replace Shadowstar, Sparkpaw volunteers to replace Thunderstar, and Mintfur to replace Skystar. Scorchfire notes that "only two are left," with a strange expression on his face.

As the cats get back to the neo-SkyClan's camp, Scorchfire begins to grow increasingly disillusioned and begins ranting about how "it won't matter anyway." Sparkpaw begins to avoid him, preferring to spend time with her injured brother. Jayclaw agrees to replace Riverstar, and Larkwing reacts similarly in intent to replace Windstar.

There are three or so filler chapters as preparations are made for the ceremony, Alderpaw begins to recuperate and Scorchfire descends deeper into madness. When Alderpaw learns of Sparkpaw's intent to sacrifice herself in order to replace Thunderstar, he is horrified and tries to get up from his bed to force her to agree not to do this, but accidentally rips open his stomach wound again in the process and collapses.

Finally, the chosen cats go to the Moonstone, along with Scorchfire and Echosong. They fall asleep by the Moonstone. StarClan informs them that Wasptail's earlier death means she will now replace Shadowstar and requests the rest of the cats to step forward and announce their intent to replace the first leaders. Mintfur, Jayclaw, and Larkwing step forth to make their respective sacrifices and die, shortly appearing alongside Wasptail. Sparkpaw notes as she steps forth that they all seem much more powerful than they were in real life, their pelts practically clogged with stars.

Before Sparkpaw can state her intent to replace Thunderstar, Alderpaw barges into the dream, still wounded, and announces that he will replace Thunderstar. Bluestar replies, "Then it is done. Scorchfire, you know what to do," and everything grows white.

When the survivors awake, the bodies of Mintfur, Jayclaw, Larkwing, and Alderpaw are all lying along the side of the Moonstone. Sparkpaw is overcome with grief that her brother sacrificed himself for this role, and Scorchfire, in a half-mad voice, states that it was his "destiny" and that he thought that he was saving Sparkpaw. Distraught, Sparkpaw attacks Scorchfire, carving three lines over his left eye, and runs onto the newly-expanded Thunderpath. It is left ambiguous whether she died at this point for the rest of the story.

Bramblestar is wracked with grief on being told that both of his children are dead, having never been told beforehand of Sparkpaw's agreement to sacrifice herself, and collapses. Waspwhisker assumes his new role. In a rare moment of coherence, Scorchfire tells him, blood still dripping from the wounds he refused to let be cleaned, that he is now the leader of the reborn SkyClan and that he must go to the Whispering Cave to receive his nine lives. As every cat rises to inform him that the Whispering Cave has been destroyed, Scorchfire smiles and says, "There is another..." in a strange voice.

It turns out that the explanation is much less mysterious and that a new tunnel to the cave has opened up inexplicably. Waspwhisker becomes Waspstar, and when he emerges Scorchfire says, "You are the first of the new generation, birthed from the blood of your predecessors."

Cataclysm's forces reemerge and invade SkyClan, but the Clan fights back this time instead of scattering. Despite Waspstar losing a life and Parsleypaw being killed, the battle deadlocks and both sides agree to a wary truce. Retreating behind the front lines, Waspstar decides to give Parsleypaw a post-mortem warrior name as Parsleyseed.

When Cataclysm's troops attack the next morning, they discover that SkyClan and the fugitive lake Clan cats escaped under cover of dark. After a brief timeskip, the cats arrive back at the occupied lake territories and coalesce the various rebellious sects from each Clan scattered along the exterior of the territory. This takes another day, by which time Cataclysm has confirmation of their current location around the filled-in Moonpool.

It is at this time that Scorchfire, in another rare sane moment, determines that the prophecy does not refer to the exact three, but rather, three cats who are kin of Firestar's kin. He interprets them to be Jayfeather, Hollytuft, and Ivypool, and rallies the still demoralizes cats with this knowledge in a rousing speech as Cataclysm's cats approach.

Cataclysm sends nearly all of her shock troops to attack the former Moonpool, confident that they will all be there. However, barely a third of them are actually there, and by the time Cataclysm realizes she has overextended herself it is too late. Waspstar loses another life, Rabbitleap is killed, and Jayfeather is near-fatally wounded. In a climatic scene Cataclysm is confronted by Scorchfire on the Gathering island, where she has established her camp. Scorchfire demands to know why Cataclysm did all of this, why she killed everyone, to receive the chilling response: "There is no point to any of it. We aren't like them, Scott. You are not one of them, even if you pretend to be one by taking a name like theirs. We've never been like them. And they have been openly scornful of us. US! We who are their superiors in every way, even if they don't know it! We weren't always this way! If we can kill enough, if enough blood of the lessers is shed for the greaters, then we can go back!"

Scorchfire seems tempted by her offer, but refuses and attempts to slit her throat. Cataclysm neatly dodges and replies, "I was hoping you would see reason... Apparently not. Now, I won't hold back at all!" In a few simple slashes of her claws, she kills Scorchfire.

Bramblestar decides that he has nothing left to lose at this point and throws himself on Cataclysm, who is temporarily startled by his brave attack. It is at this point that StarClan, heavily influenced by the replacements for the founding leaders, decides to directly intervene, and the two are smote dead upon the island by a bolt of lightning.

Cataclysm's forces surrender. Although most of them disband and drift away to become rogues, a few of them express interest in joining SkyClan, and they are allowed to. SkyClan moves into the lake territories fully, and the remainders of the other Clans move in with them. Although they all insist that they will reform their own Clans, it is implied that they will eventually accept life as SkyClan cats.

In the final chapter, Scorchfire speaks with StarClan. It is revealed that Scorchfire faked the prophecy in order to give the Clans hope, as well as that he, Cataclysm, and his now-dead friend Kyle were all former humans who became cats after direct intervention from StarClan. Knowing that Scorchfire (then Scott) and Kyle knew exactly what came in the Vision of Shadows arc and the events leading up to it, they hoped he could help to change the world for the better. However, Scott and Kyle's semi-sociopathic (and it is implied that this is caused in no small part by her abusive hippie parents) friend Yarrow was also pulled into the mix along with them. Sanity destroyed by a combination of the transformation and Scott/Scorchfire's constant teasing of her knowing nothing about this world, she took the name Cataclysm, killed Kyle, and began a "great empire" to eliminate all those she considered beneath her. Finding that she could not defeat the four Clans together, she determined that she had to weaken them first by stripping away StarClan, and so killed the five founders within StarClan, exiling them to permanent nonexistence.

Despite everything, StarClan forgives Scorchfire for the cataclysm that he had wrought upon the Clans. Scorchfire requests that the timeline be restored to how it was before, as, although it was not perfect, "it was better than this tragedy." StarClan agrees to this; however, it will require the sacrifice of Scorchfire's own existence. Scorchfire does not need to think about it, stating that "everything was his fault" and that anything he can do to redeem himself would be better than living with the knowledge that he indirectly caused this genocidal disaster to befall the Clans.

Firestar replies, "Then, it is done," and everything turns to white.


End file.
